The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1996
Filed:
Jul. 18, 1994
Nathan R Smith, Stillwater, MN (US);
Advantek, Inc., Minnetonka, MN (US);
Abstract
An inertial parts feeding apparatus and method for dispensing parts, such as microchips, onto a moving belt. The feeding apparatus has a housing supporting an elongated tube accommodating the microchips. A guide mounted on the housing aligns the tube with an arm having an impact shoulder and a microchip stop finger. A roller, engageable with the tube, driven by a stepping motor, moves the tube longitudinally into engagement with the shoulder causing a microchip to move out of the end of the tube and into engagement with the stop finger. The arm is released from the microchip during the time that the tube moves back to its initial position to allow the microchip to move with the belt.